Control for battery-charging plants



Dm v23, 1924.

F. W. CRESS CONTROLV FOR BATTERY CHARGING PLANTS Filed April 28, 1922 lumi? /f/ u,

gnvmxfotf l A' FFarLm-LEW [111255 25 gravity of lfalls below`a predetermined degree :torstarting the operation of the storage bat? Patented omas, i924.

narran-sra l:FRANCIS W. CHESS, @E PRIOR. LAKE, MNNESOTA.

CONTROL. FOR BATTERY-CHARG-ING Efnt'il'lSiV To all whoml it may concern:

Be itknown that l, FRANCIS lV. Cares, a citizenof the United States, residing at Prior Lake, in the county of Scott and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful linprovementsin Controls `for Battery-Chargingv1 Plants, of which the following is a specification.

rl`his invention relates to storage bat- 1@ teries, and the primary object of the iiivention is to provide means Jfor automatically starting the operation ot a storage battery 'charging -plant when a storage battery is discharged, for charging the saine,

and ineans for automatically stopping the operation of the storage battery charging plant when the storage battery is recharged..

Another object ot' the invention is the provision of a h vdiometer controlled switch 20.for automaticallycontrolling the operation/.R of a storage battery charging plant, the

`switch being adapted to be closed bythe lowering of the hydrometer when the bat- `tery is discharged and when the specific the electrolyte in the battery tery charging plant and to be opened by t the hydrometer when the hydrometer rises and the battery is charged and the specific gravity of the electrolyte rises above a predetermined degree for stopping the operation of .the storage battery charging plant. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved control for storage batt-ery charging plants embodying a rockable circuit closing lever, a hydrometer connected to one end of the lever, and a weightsecnied to the other end ot thev lever to compensate for the change in the specific gravity of lthe electrolyte in which t by the outer end of thelever will be pulled down upon the. raising ot the hydrometer for breaking the circuit Awhen the battery is charged. f

A further object of therijnven'tion is to provide an improved control for storage battery plants embodying a movable circuit `closing lever and a hydrometenitor causing the' actuation of said lever, and a novel means associated with the lever for permitting the nick making and breaking of the circuit c oser or switch by said lever `55 when the lever reaches a predetermined point. c,

A en

lie1hydroineter is immersed, whe-re# ,ago\battery; and B,

Application le. April 28, 1922. Serial No. 557,194.

A further object of the invention is the action of the lever for the circuite y making' or breaking still .further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for controllingT a battery charging plant of the above character, which will be durable and eliicieiit in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

llith these and other objects in view` the invention consists in the novel construction. arrangement. and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described. claimed and illustrated in the, accompanying drawings. iorming a part of this specil'ication` in which drawings:

' Figure l is a fragmentaryv vertical sectional view through one end of a battery,

showing the improved control for the battery charging plant incorporated therewith. and illustrating the position of the controlling lever and the hydroincter when the battery is discharged.

.Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating theposition of the controlling lever and the hydrometer, when charged.,

Figure 3 is a plan v the battery is iew of a battery jar cover constructed in 4accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal scctionv through the improved control, showing the levervin position for closing the circuit for causing the operation of the storage battery charging plant.

Figure 5y s a detail longitudinal section through a slightly modified form of control lever.

Referring to the drawings in detail,

wherein similar reference characters desig nate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the. letter A indicates a storassociated therewith.. charging plant.

rlhe storage battery any preferred type an the improved control forL the .storage batteri' A is, ot course, of d includes a )ar l0,

lll)

" cylindrical extension Cil `connecting portion 22 of the bracketf20 has containing the usual amount of electrolyte 11.

One end of the jar 10 is provided With a 12, which extends ver` The cylindrical eXtension 12 is provided with openings 13 .for establishing communication between the same and the battery jar to permit the free circulation of the electrolyte between the jar and extension. The jar 10 can' be provided with a cover 15. As shown, this cover is provided With a circular-.extension 16 at one end thereof to overl-ie the cylinder 12, and an opening 17 is formed in the axial center of the circular extension 16, for a purpose which will hereinafter be more fully described. f

The improved control device B consists of a supporting frame C, an actuating lever D for controlling the opening and closing of the circuit maker and hydrometer tically on the same.

F for operating the control lever D.

The support-ing frame C' includes a bracket 20, which is preferably formed of electric conducting material, and this bracket is yof a U-shape and has its lower, arm 21 secured in any preferred manner to the circular ex,- tension 16 of the battery cover 15. The

`upper arm 22 of the bracket 20 is formed relatively sho-rt and has bolted thereto a block of insulation 23, for a purpose which will hereinafter more fully appear. The 24 for the arms 21 and pivotally secured thereto intermediate its ends, by means of a pivot pin 25, the control klever D which will now be described. l c Y The control lever D isl preferably formed of electric conducting material, and" the inner end thereof terminates directly above the opening 17 forned in the circular disc shaped extension 16 of the cover 15. The outer end of the control lever D is provided Vwith external threads 26lfor engaging in the internally threaded neck 27 of a vessel 28, which is provided for receiving the shiftable mass 29, which can be `of mercury, a solid ball, or the like. The 'outer end Wall of the receptacle 28 can be provided with a vt-hreaded opening 30 to permit the introduciV shiftable mass therein, and this tion of the opening may. be 'closed by a plug 31 as clearly shown in modified form of thecontrol 4leverillustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing. fIt is obvious that by adjusting the vessel 28 inwardly or outwardly on the lever D, the center of gravity ofthe lever can changed.

The provision'of the sliftable mass 29 within the vessel 28 will be hereinafter more f fully described, but it is obvious -that its mam object. is to compensate for the L change 1n the specifiegravity of the electrolyte for pulling down the outer end `of the lever when the hydrometer raises to open the circuit. The movement of the shiftable mass 29 Within the vessel 28 can be limited by means of a plunger 32, which is carried by an adjusting rod 33, which can be threaded in the threaded opening 30. The adjusting rod 33 can be provided with an operating handle 34. It is obvious that by confining orlimiting the movement of the mass within the vessel 28, the center of gravity can also be changed Within certain limits.

he circuit closing orfmaking and breaking means E includes a resilient arm 35, and aresilient arm 36, both of Which are constructed identically the same. The resilient arm 35 is connected by means of a binding post or the like 37 to the block of insulation' 23, and the` resilient arm 36 is connected' to' the control lever D by means of a pin 38, adjacent to the fulcrum point thereof. These arms are made flexible. and their extreme outer free ends are provided with contactl points. 39, which are adapted to abut when the outer end of the lever is moved to its raised position due to the lowering of the hydrometer F when the specific gravity of the electrolyte changes during the time the battery is under discharge. Inwar'dly of 'the contact points 39, the resilient and flexible provided With permanent magnets 40, which have a tendency to hold the contacts 39 in contact with o ne another until the lever D has been moved below its horizontal position andV the shiftable mass 2),Within `the vessel\2 has shifted toward theouter end ofthe lever'so that its Weight can/quickarms 35 and 36 are ly and forcibly break the contact between the contacts v35 and 36. 37 has connected thereto Wire 41, which of course, nection with the resilient the binding post 37. The connecting porvtion 24 of the bracket 20 has bolted or other- Wise secured thereto an outwardly extending arm 42 which is also formedrof electric conducting material, and this arm has secured thereto by means of a binding post 43, a lead 'wire 44. If desired, the improved control B canbe directly interposed Within the charging' circuit for a battery, so as to close the circuit and to permit the charg- 'ing 'of the battery when the hydrometer moves downward Within the cylindrical extension 12'of the battery jar 10. The leads 41 and 43,`however, lead/'to thel ignition source of an internal \combustion engine, ,utilized for running the generator of a storage battery charging plant, and it can be seen that as soon as the contacts 39 are moved into engagement with each other, the ignition'system of the internal combustion engine will beclosed,

The binding post an electric lead haselectric conarm 35 through t, thus starting the operation of the engine and the consequent operation of the generator.

The hydrometer F can be of any preferredV or. of the usual character, and has been shown merely by way of example to be a sealed tube or bottle 50, the lower end of which is weighted with the correct amount ofshot 51. The upper end of the hydrometer has secured thereto a cord 52, which extends through the opening 17 in the battery jar cover and is connected to the inner end of the lever D.

In operation of the improved device, when the specific gravity of the electrolyte in the battery jar falls below7 a certain specific gravity, the hydrometer will move downwardly within the electrolyte. This, of course, will pull down on the inner end of the lever, and swing the outer end of the lever D upwardly. After the lever has been moved past its horizontal position, the shiftable mass 29 within the vessel 28 will move suddenly forwardly, which will help to forcibly throw the upper end of the lever D upwardly, thus closing the contact quickly to prevent the breaking or arcing of the contacts. This, of course, will set the battery lcharging. plant in operation, as heretobefore described. Now, when the battery becomes charged and the specific gravity of the electrolyteincreases, the lhy- 'drometer F will, ofcourse, rise 'within the electrolyte, thus permitting the lowering of the outer end of the lever D under the in fluence of the shiftable mass within the same. The downward movement of the outer end of the lever D will deform the resilient arms 35 and 36 and the magnets .will prevent the disengagement of the contacts 39.` However, as soon as the lever Di reaches its horizontal position and starts on its downward movement, the changing ofthe center of gravity of the shiftable mass 29 will cause the forcible rocking of the lever and thus From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved means has been provided for regulating the operation of storage battery charging plants by the actual condition of the batteries themselves.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

I claim:

l. In a control for charging storage batteries, a supporting bracket of electrical conducting material, a rockable lever pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the bracket and formed of-electric conducting material, a hydrometer arranged to extend into a storage battery jar, a block of insulation carried by the supporting bracket, resilient electric conducting arms secured respectively to the lever and to the block of'insulation,

contacts carried by the outer terminals of the arms, and permanent magnets carried by the arms adjacent to the Contact points for permitting the quick making and breaking ofthe contacts.

2. In a control for storage battery charging plants, a supporting bracket, a rockable lever pivotallynsecured intermediate its ends to the bracket, a hydrometer, means for securing the hydrometer to the inner end of the lever, resilient contacts carried by the brackets and the lever, the outer end of the lever being externally threaded, a `receptacle having a relatively long internally threaded neck arranged to receive the threaded endof the rod, and a shiftable mass arranged in said receptacle. Y

3. In a control for storage battery charging plants, a lsupporting bracket, a rockable lever pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the bracket, a hydrometer, means for securing the hydrometer to the inner end of the lever, resilient contacts carried by the il bracket and the lever, the outer end of the lever being externally threaded, a receptacle having a relatively long \internally ythreaded neck varranged to receive' the threaded end of the rod, a shiftable mass arranged in said receptacle, and means movably mounted )within said receptacle, for limiting the shifting movement of the mass within said receptacle.

FRANCIS w. cREss. 

